Shadow's Masquerade
by ii-Phoenix-ii
Summary: Revenge is a dish best served cold. [Tokyo Ghoul Universe]
1. Loss and Gain

**Chapter 1: Loss and Gain**

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin or Tokyo Ghoul

 **Important!** Just to clarify, this is  NOT a crossover. It's the SnK characters in the TG world.

* * *

He was so hungry he was sure his stomach was trying to eat itself.

Levi closed his eyes, shaking his head of the disturbing images. He tightened the ratty blanket around himself. Farlan and Isabel lay a few feet from him, trying to ignore the wild clawing of the beast in their stomachs. _We need to eat_. His kakugan activated in synch with his thoughts. The only sources of light and warmth were the trash can bonfires here and there behind the old, abandoned building. He observed the other homeless people around him.

It didn't matter if they saw. After all, they were all ghouls.

And they were all eating.

He glanced at his comrades. If they didn't eat soon, they were going to die. But not before snapping and trying to slaughter anything that moved. Without thinking too much, he tossed the blanket at them, "I'll be back soon." He had the best control and was the strongest between the three. The responsibility of hunting usually fell on his shoulders.

Keeping his head bowed, he wandered away from the trashier part of the city and towards the bright lights and noises. He could feel his self-control withering with every step. He paused once, feeling someone's eyes on him. He shook it off as nerves and continued. One more block. He was close now. Nearing the edge of the abandoned and run-down district, he froze when a pair of feet appeared in his vision.

Something solid and metal touched his head, "Give me your money!" Levi couldn't believe his luck. "Do it!" Around him, the man's cronies tried to sound intimidating.

They were human. No ghoul, especially a group of them, would attack another with something as useless as a gun. He took an experimental sniff anyway. _Definitely human_. His would-be attacker pressed the gun into the parietal ridge of Levi's head. "Are you fucking deaf, bastard?!"

Levi finally looked up and they froze. _Like lambs to a slaughter_. His kagune exploded into action.

* * *

He struggled with the weight, carefully adjusting the body on his shoulder. The wall was cracked and deteriorating under his hand as he used it as a guide. His breath was frosty. The basement was the perfect place to store a body, or bodies, and keep it preserved as long as possible. He dumped the last one next to his buddies with a sigh of relief. They were generic thugs. No one would miss them.

Levi was very tempted to have a quick meal. _There's no rush_. He'd get Isabel and Farlan first. It had taken him long enough to move the three bodies blocks from where he killed them. _We'll be okay for a few weeks now_. His almost sunny disposition began to whither the closer he got to the site.

The media was there, interviewing some men.

Behind them was a blockade set up by the CCG.

Levi scaled a building as quickly and subtly as he could. He stuck close to the shadows lengthened by the setting sun. His heart jumped in his throat at the bloody scene. His flesh crawled as an irritating pitched noise filled his ears. Levi pressed himself as much as he could against the side of the roof to hide in the shadows from the chopper that flew by. Yet the feeling of being watched still persisted.

He snuck a peek anyway, the small hope his friends had gotten away shattered as a draft came by, moving the sheet just enough for him to make out his best friend's hair drenched in blood. The smaller body next to him had to be Isabel, there were crimson strands peeking out from beneath the sheet.

 _It might not be her_. Maybe it was another young woman whose hair had been dyed red with her blood. His optimism was futile. The number of bodies matched the number of people he saw before he left. Levi stiffened as two men approached Farlan's body. He couldn't make out what they were saying but those smug, arrogant looks made him snap.

 _Those stupid fuckers, how dare they!_ He could practically taste the bloodlust in his mouth. _I'm going to rip them apart limb from limb!_ He could feel their flesh and muscles tearing, the sound of bones breaking, and the metallic scent of blood thick through the air. Levi's hands twitched with anticipation to eviscerate some Doves.

He stood up, only for his knees to give out. Tremors rolled throughout his body as he struggled to get up. _Shit! I'm too weak!_ If only he had gotten a quick meal, then maybe he'd have the energy to color the bleak grey walls red with _their_ blood.

 _If only I had been quicker_. He cursed himself for leaving them. _If only I'd taken them with me._ If…too many ifs rolled around in his head. Levi fell, unable to focus and muster up an energy he had left. Before he lost consciousness, he heard the sound of footsteps closing in on him.

* * *

Levi opened his eyes and sat up, tense and alert as usual. He observed his surroundings uneasily. It was a plain white room, mostly bare with only the essentials: a simple bed, a small table with a lamp and clock, and a dresser. Within three seconds of awareness, his confusion melted to sadness then anger. His vision tinted red, Levi tried to choke down his fury, unwilling to alert whoever brought him here.

Someone cleared their throat. Levi's head snapped to the open doorway. "Who are you? And why am I here?" He regarded the tall, blonde-haired woman suspiciously; uncomfortable at how easily she managed to sneak up on him. _Do Doves usually dress up as waitresses in their free time?_ She smelt of coffee.

"My name is Nanaba," she said coolly. "And you're welcome." He scowled at her. "You fainted just before I approached you. Lucky for you, I was in the area. The Doves were still checking around to see if they missed anyone. As if _he_ would let anyone get away," she muttered the last part under her breath.

"You're a ghoul," Levi stated. "Did you bring me here to recruit me into your gang?"

"Recruit? Yes. Gang? No, more like a…like an organized group of ghouls, working together and adhering to strict rules to keep our district from falling into chaos," her face darkened, "and bringing the scrutiny of Doves upon us."

Our. She said our district. All the leaders he'd met referred to the place as _my_ territory. _Unless she's low in the chain of_ _command_. He was still distrusting of her. "Are you the one in charge?"

"I am," she nodded curtly. "I own the coffee shop below us."

 _That's smart_ , he thought grudgingly. Coffee was, for some unknown reason, the only drink humans and ghouls could share. "Wait, where am I? What district I mean." He knew of no such organizations in any of the districts he'd ever lived in. Levi, Farlan, and Isabel lived a nomadic life. It was too dangerous for them to stay in one place without grabbing too much attention.

"Trost district. You're in Rose now," Nanaba clarified. "It's a city south of your old one—"

"I know where it is," Levi snapped. "So let me guess, since you saved my life I have to join your organization or—"

" _Have_ to? Did I ever say that? It's up to you whether you want to stay," she shrugged. "I only assumed you'd like to, seeing you are alone."

The rage over his friends' deaths returned. He felt guilty for getting caught up in the moment and forgetting them. Nanaba observed the young man before her. She could feel the angry vibes coming off him; his mind was racing a hundred miles per hour. She knew that look anywhere. There was only one thing going through his mind: revenge.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to kill the bastards responsible," he answered. Nanaba did something that made him flinch in shock. She laughed. _Bitch_ , he thought rudely. "What's so fucking hilarious?"

"Not bastards, bastard, singular." All traces of humor faded, she was back to her calm self. "The man responsible for those people's deaths is the CCG's Reaper: Erwin Smith."

"I don't care who he is, he's a dead man."

"No, _you're_ the dead man. Look at yourself," she gestured to the worn, faded clothes and dirty skin. "I doubt you'd make it past the check-point much less get anywhere near their best fighter's floor."

"I am not weak!" Levi glared viciously.

"Oh really? Well, as it happens, I'm in need of a new subordinate. If you can best me in a spar, I might share an important piece of info. If not, you'll work for me, no questions asked."

"Deal."

In hindsight, he should have known better than to let himself get goaded like that. The pain of losing his friends made him impulsive, wanting to kill their murderer as soon as he could. Levi was extremely confident in his abilities. He had never lost a fight and perhaps it made him arrogant, not that he liked to admit it. He was sure he could beat her down.

Instead, Nanaba wiped the floor with him.

To add insult to injury, she'd done it without activating her kagune.

The temptation to whine like a child about unfairness hit him. Except he wasn't hungry, someone must have fed him.

"You start work on Monday."

She left him alone with his thoughts in the underground pipes. Levi slowly pulled himself into a sitting position. How had everything fallen apart? Only 24 hours ago, he was worried about the next meal. Now Isabel and Farlan were dead, their killer was strutting around freely, and he was stuck as an errand boy for some random woman in another city.

 _When did everything get so out of control?_ His gripped his hair in frustration. He wanted to find Erwin Smith and decapitate the bastard. Much as he loathed to admit it, Nanaba was right. He wouldn't make the lobby before getting minced. But he wasn't giving up. _What was that old quote?_

Know thy enemy.

* * *

 _This all seems too good to be true_. Levi searched the entire room. He found nothing off and it frustrated him all the more. Three days had passed since his fight with the shop owner. He continued to search for anything suspicious, unwilling to have free time; it would only serve to remind him of his loss.

He gave up a minute later, unable to trick his mind into keeping busy over something that wasn't there. Glancing at the time, he changed into his uniform and skulked downstairs. His new, no-nonsense boss hadn't wasted a moment after kicking his ass and made him learn the shop's rules. As a newbie still learning the ropes, he was basically on cleaning duty for the week. That was fine by Levi. He was dreading the following week when he would have to start working as a waiter.

Scowling, too lost in his thoughts, he bumped into his fellow waitress.

"Watch you're going, ass," Mikasa glared, clutching her tray. She'd almost dropped it because of the careless idiot who didn't bother to see where he was going.

"Shut up, bitch. Why don't you watch where you're going?"

They began insulting each other.

Levi still didn't quite understand what had gone wrong. All he knew was she was snobby to him the first time they met and he treated her the way she treated him.

"That's enough," Erd interrupted before a fist fight could break out. "Mikasa, the customers are waiting. Levi, go clean up the table in the corner."

Exchanging one last glare, they moved away.

With nothing to occupy his mind, his thoughts immediately jumped back to his dead friends. Farlan loved origami, having read a book on it once. Usually his attempts at making anything like a rose or a swan or a boat end up resembling something like the crumpled up dirty napkins Levi was tossing in the trash.

His mood worsened as a little girl walked past the shop with her mom, eating mint chocolate chip ice-cream. Isabel always wondered what it tasted like. Despite her friends' objections, she'd given it a try. And spent the next few minutes gagging as Levi had fought the urge to say _I told you so_.

A week later and he still couldn't stop linking everything around him to his friends. He rubbed his eyes tiredly. The day dragged on too slowly for his liking. His shift could not end soon enough. He despised putting on a pleasant face—or at least _not scowl_ in his case—and taking orders from the stupid, ignorant humans who went about their lives without having to live in fear and secret like he had been forced to since the day he was born.

Levi couldn't understand how his fellow co-workers could stand it, hell, some even enjoyed it. _Traitors_ , he thought disgustedly. It was with great relief he took off the apron at 5 and escaped upstairs to his room. As per usual, his relief was replaced by emptiness wrapped in one question: _Now what?_

As much as he loathed his job, free time was worse still.

At least his mind was occupied and emotions were a familiar annoyance and anger while he was on the clock. Off the clock, he didn't know how to deal with the loneliness. Looking around the room desperately, his eyes landed on an envelope. The curved lines spelling _Levi_ were Nanaba's. He raised an eyebrow. _This woman must have connections everywhere_.

Jamming the credit card and some cash into his pockets, he grabbed a jacket and left, grateful to have something to do. Shopping for some clothes, it was going to be a new and interesting experience. Too used to stealing everything, he felt odd at the idea of buying what he needed. _It can't be too hard_.

His pride wouldn't allow him to ask his co-workers for help for something as mundane as shopping. They'd laugh for sure. He could practically imagine Mikasa's smug expression and the brief, pitying look that would pass over Erd's face. _I can do this myself!_

Standing before the men's section, he stared at the large amount of clothing before him. Was he supposed to just take something his size and buy it? He glanced at the advertisements. Or maybe stock up now for the winter since all clothes for the cold season were on sale? _Huh, so this is what it's like to be normal_. Were these the everyday problems people who didn't have to worry about their next meal have?

* * *

 _Now what?_

Levi stared at his bedroom ceiling. His resolve to get revenge on Erwin Smith was as strong as ever. He just couldn't see _how_. More often than not, he found himself moping during his free time, cursing himself for not being more proactive. _I don't know where to begin!_ He sat up, feeling restless.

 _No, don't think like that_. He couldn't afford to spiral down into the nothingness of depression. _I've been training, sparing with Erd and the others_. He was getting stronger, he could feel it. _But it's not enough_. He had to get stronger still. There were still many obstacles yet to come.

Levi straightened up, hearing the _clicks_ of heels. There was only one woman around who wore those uncomfortable looking things. _Is she here to fire me?_ The clenching of his heart with dread surprised him. He disliked his job but he found himself unable to think about leaving.

 _Idiot! You've grown too used to this comfortable life_. He had food, shelter, clothes, and no reason—not really—to believe he had to stay alert and sleep little lest someone sneak up on him. The door opened, ripping him from his thoughts. "Can you read and write?" Nanaba went straight to the point, skipping the pleasantries.

"What?" Was Levi's intelligent reply, being taken back by the question.

"Do you know how to read and write?" From her tone, clearly she did not like repeating herself.

"Yes," Levi frowned. He wasn't _that_ illiterate. _That man_ was good for teaching him something proper, even if his method of teaching left something to be desired.

"Good, what about math?"

"The basics, addition, subtraction, division, and multiplying. Why are you asking?" He spoke before she could.

"Your background in education is less than impressive, better than I expected but still very lacking. I'm getting you a tutor."

"What? _Why?_ " Levi stared at her with unfathomable confusion.

"Because I will not have an illiterate subordinate," she wrinkled her nose as if the very idea offended her. "Education is important to survive and it will help you blend in." He could see where she was going with it. He hadn't heard of many ghouls going to school. "As you know, most ghouls live in poverty and a degree will help you get a job later on."

"Of course, I'll owe it all to you." Levi could see how it benefited her. _Does she do this with every ghoul she meets? She must be loaded if she did_. He could see it now, she financially supported the strays she picked up and helped them get a job. They, in turn, would be her connections.

"I see you're not as obtuse as I originally thought."

Levi felt offended, not understating what she called him but smart enough to know he had been insulted. "What's this?" He took the folder she held out.

"Your schedule," she checked her watch, not bothering to look at him. "You'll have math and language every day, history and general science every other day, and art once a week. As per usual, weekends you'll have off. You have 5 months to get your GED—a test that's the equivalent of getting a high school diploma—and in the fall, you'll be attending a community college majoring in a subject of your choosing."

"And if I fail?" He asked curiously.

"I don't have an endless supply of money. You get one chance. If you fail, you're out. I'll leave you to think on it now."

Levi stared at the folder after she left. He should have known she'd want something in return. _But this doesn't seem too bad_. In fact, it was more beneficial to him than her. Suddenly, he had an epiphany. _Why didn't I think of that sooner?_ It was so much sweeter than his plan to kill Erwin.

He took out his notebook hidden inside the pillow and grabbed a pen from the table. _Gaining an education is good for both my goal and in the long run as well_. He began jotting down notes. Technology was one major advantage the CCG had over ghouls _. If I could go to college and learn more about computers and all that, I could learn how to avoid being detected by the RC Scanners._ If not that, then maybe figure out what he could do to shut them down. However, that was only a small part of his plan.

An eye for an eye, he wrote at the top of the page.

 _He took my family, I'll take his_. He closed the notebook with a snap.

* * *

 _This idea has been floating in my mind and I had a few free hours and just wrote this chapter out of the blue. Just pulled it out of thin air. Then again I do that with pretty much everything I write._

 **Question** : What should Levi's kagune be? I was thinking either kōkaku or rinkaku. What do you guys think?

 _ **Please Review~**_


	2. Sunset

**Chapter 2: Sunset**

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin

 **Previously** : Isabel and Farlan are killed by Erwin and Levi vows to avenge them. He gets taken in by Nanaba and works at the café as a waiter while studying to get his GED.

* * *

Levi picked up the camera and began fiddling around with it. His tutor soon arrived and sat on the sofa in the living room next to Levi's bedroom. "Did you finish the worksheets I gave you?"

He handed the papers absent-mindedly, mind flashing back to the first time he'd picked up the camera. It had been heavier than it looked. Not having a shred of artistic talent when came to drawing, painting, or molding, photography was his only choice. He had read the instructions, not wanting to damage something so obviously expensive and get reprimanded, before attempting to use the camera.

"Only one mistake, good, you're improving," the stern-faced man opened up his briefcase. "Let's begin today's lesson."

Levi had honestly never thought he'd hear those words. When his lessons had begun, it had been frustrating and embarrassing not knowing something that was apparently common knowledge and basic. Seeing the numerous red marks on his papers had hurt his ego more than he thought it could. Fortunately, his teacher knew what he was doing and the fear of failing and ending back on the streets with no hope was great motivation.

After months of what felt like endless disappointment, struggle, and sleepless nights, he'd finally managed to drag himself to a B average status. A strong sense of pride filled him considering his background. He was fairly confident he could get the GED and be one step closer to his goal. His tutor stopped by Nanaba's office to fill her in while Levi wandered downstairs to start his shift.

 _Where's the irritating nag?_ Levi checked around for Mikasa. Her two regulars were here. He stared distastefully at the tolerable Arlert and contemptuously at the completely intolerable little shit called Yeager. Unfortunately, no one else was available. Grudgingly, he made his way over to their table. "What're you two having?" He asked, carefully neutral.

"Where's Mikasa?"

Said girl materialized almost out of thin air. _Speak of the devil_. Levi walked away without a word, pausing once to shoot his female co-worker a scowl. He still couldn't understand how she could stand to be around them—Eren especially. The boy would _not_ shut _up_ about how he was going to kill all the ghouls in the world.

Once he got started on his tirade, nothing could stop him.

" _They're all monsters!" Eren's fist slammed on the table, sloshing the coffee in the mugs. "I'm going to end all those cannibalistic fuckers!"_

 _Mikasa stared at him, a calm façade over her face. She was only making 'hm-mn' noises and nodding._

 _Armin sighed and shook his head._

Only the timely presence of Erd had kept Levi from beating the shit out of the loud-mouthed ignoramus. Those 10 seconds had been all it took for him to hold the boy in contempt. Despite the constant sour expression he displayed around Nanaba, he was grateful to her. He wasn't going to repay her by causing a scene. He had decided to avoid the Dove-loving idiots for everyone's sake.

The boys' voices reached over to him. "…end them all," blah blahblah, "plague on the world," blah blahblah, "bastard cannibals." Did the idiot even know what cannibal meant?

Apparently Armin had been having similar thoughts. "Actually, a cannibal is something or someone that feasts on the fleshof its own species."

Eren waved his hand, "The point is they're all messed up."

 _Of course, because humans are so perfect. After all, they only murder, rape, steal, deceit, and fuck up each other for no good reason far more than ghouls eat them for survival. Naturally, we're the ones who're fucked up_ , Levi thought darkly. He had never known any of his own kind to do anything beside kill each other to gain more power or in defense. Simple. Unlike humans.

Levi gave Mikasa a wide berth the rest of the day, almost as if unwilling to catch her 'sickness.' "Human loving bitch…" From the briefest stiffening of her shoulders, he knew she'd heard him. He couldn't understand why she'd befriend members of such a hateful, self-destructing species.

 _And that's exactly what I'm going to do._ But he had his reasons. He wondered if she had an ulterior motive as well. _None of my business_. After finishing counting the money—it was always so satisfying to have the amount balanced at the end of the day—and closing up; he wandered up to his room.

 _My room_.

He'd never had his own room before. _Even when…_ He shook his head. That place didn't count. This room was all his, his to clean, his to decorate, and his to scatter with the materialistic possessions he'd bought with his own money. Changing out of his waiter uniform, he went down into the large underground pipes to train.

Complacency, on the streets, was synonymous to death.

He'd learned that the hard way.

As comfortable as life was here, not having to worry about his next meal or a CCG raid, he'd lose his edge if he wasn't careful.

 _I can't afford to let that happen_. He always trained harshly to make up for the lack of progress in finding someone close to Erwin he could target. Levi couldn't have been the first ghoul to want to hurt Erwin through his relations. The chances were very _low_ but the man had no doubt taken measures to be extra sure. _But I'll be patient_.

No matter if it took him his entire life time; he'd find Erwin's weakness because no one was perfect.

* * *

Petra inhaled deeply, and exhaled slowly, a wide smile on her face. Children ran by, laughing and giggling, parents strolling behind them, holding hands, making light conversation. A sweet jingle filled the air, pulling all the little ones towards it. She smiled, enjoying her walk through the park. She spotted a beautiful white Dahlia with hints of pink as she passed through the garden.

She really wanted one bloom but it was against the rules to pluck the flowers. Leaving the park behind, she crossed the road and headed to a small bakery. She bought a donut and continued her walk. On her right, the water moved in hypotonic, soothing waves. She found a bench and sat down, admiring the open water as she ate.

Her peaceful atmosphere was interrupted by a new arrival, "Excuse me, ma'am?" Petra looked up to see a man in a suit. "It's time to go."

 _I didn't know it was so late already_. She nodded and followed him, throwing a longing glance at the orange and blue tinted sky. She wished she could watch the sunset. But she knew better than to whine. It was for her safety. No one knew who she was but better safe than sorry as her uncle had said. Ghouls liked to hunt at night.

 _Maybe I can convince Uncle Erwin to come with me once and we can watch it together_. She knew it wasn't too likely but she was still going to try. The car pulled up in front of a five story apartment building. The door man opened the glass door and tipped his hat. The elevator stopped on the fifth floor.

Petra smiled when her red Golden Retriever came running to welcome her. She immediately dropped down and kissed her. "Hi Ginger, miss me?" The dog barked in response. "Of course you did!" Petra showered the dog with affection. She'd had the dog for six years, since she was born. Her uncle thought the puppy was perfect with whole dog owners looking like their dogs thing. Petra had aptly named the red Golden Retriever Ginger.

"Let's eat dinner."

Petra caught up with a TV show after eating, eyes flickering to the door a second before the person on the other end had a chance to knock. "It's open!"

"I've told you so many times, you should lock your door," Oluo entered.

"You're the only one who always comes at this time. I can't be bothered to expend energy when I'm busy with something important," her eyes were glued to the TV.

"It's going to catch up with you one day," he collapsed on the couch next to her, stealing a potato chip, "but don't worry, I'll rescue you from any ugly Ghoul stupid enough to take you." He turned to her, expecting her to get all indignant about how she didn't need protecting like some sort of damsel. To his disappointment, she was too absorbed with the TV.

He silently watched her shiver in his peripheral vision. Before he could get a chance to make a move, Ginger came running to cuddle with her owner. _Stupid mutt_. He crossed his arms sulkily. "So what happened since last time?" He asked during a commercial.

Petra began chattering, explaining the reveals and the new twists. "…and that's everything," she yawned. "Well, I'm gonna hit the sack then."

Oluo did his regular check of her apartment. He opened up his laptop and made sure the security system was functioning properly. "It's all good." He stood up, "I'll see myself out."

Petra nodded and stretched. "Good night."

Oluo paused in her doorway, "If you need me to check under the bed for monsters, now's the time to ask."

"Just go," she rolled her eyes.

She was too lazy to go to her bedroom and made herself comfortable on the couch. "I really need to find a boyfriend." Ginger barked. "Not that you're bad at cuddling," she hugged the dog, smiling widely, "but it'd be nice to have someone special."

All her friends were seeing someone. She wanted to know what that feeling was like, when you had someone special you were intimate with in the way a small, sweet gesture from them would brighten your entire day. Petra sighed. She'd gone on dates and had a few casual boyfriends. Her only choices were her classmates. And they were all either taken or gay or not interested in her. She just couldn't find someone to have a relationship with.

"At least I have you," Petra scratched Ginger. "And I promise, I'll love you and cuddle with you even after I get a boyfriend." The Golden Retriever licked her face. Petra giggled. "Maybe you can sniff one out for me." Ginger barked.

* * *

Levi strolled through the park, stopping occasionally to take a photo of something that caught his attention. Walking around aimlessly, taking photos of whatever caught his eye, enjoying the peace, it was what he called a good day. It was a rare day of bliss that left him unwilling to brood over the loss in his life even if he wanted to.

He pulled out his lunch, wrapped in foil, and munched on the human meat. He was almost to the bench when the barking began. He didn't bother to look until the owner began yelling. _What's the mutt doing? Oh_. Levi stilled. He couldn't attack the dog and didn't want to run away and get chased either.

Before he could make up his mind, the dog ran past him.

Levi's gaze followed him. He rolled his eyes. _Stupid mutt's chasing a squirrel_. The owner ran by. "Ginger, wait!" It wasn't the most creative of names.

Ginger was an image of pure innocence in the face of the scolding she was getting. She let out a soft whine and Petra couldn't help but smile. "You're very sneaky! Making that face and getting out of trouble." She smiled and the red Golden Retriever barked happily.

Levi couldn't help but capture the image. It was so weird to see the dog and her owner having a similar appearance and the same expression. _Guess some dogs really do look like their owners_. His phone buzzed. The text from Erd was a reminder they had a delivery run later in the evening. _Play time is over then_.

He waited outside Erd's apartment as the sun set, it was a short walk from the café. He followed the taller man silently into the grey car. He didn't understand why he hadn't thought of it. Taking bodies from the suicide point was brilliant. It was a quiet, remote area where people who didn't want to be found and couldn't keep going anymore came.

Levi zipped up the body bag and tucked it into the trunk of Erd's car. The ride was silent and he took the time to make plans for the weekend. Lately he'd been interested in taking photos of the water. He never had the luxury of being able to sit back and enjoy the ocean. He'd heard about a beautiful garden close by with exotic flowers and some miniature, manmade waterfalls. _Maybe I should go check it out_.

"Levi," Erd's voice stopped him as he was about to walk up the stairs, "Nanaba wanted to see you earlier today but you were gone."

He nodded and dropped by her office. He was already through the door before he remembered it was polite to knock first. He had a feeling he'd never ditch his habit of waltzing into a room without invitation. "You wanted to see me?"

"I hear you've been doing very well—far better than I'd expected to be honest." She put the file down and cool blue eyes stared at him. "I'm hoping you'll get the GED before the end of summer." That left him almost four months, plenty of time.

"That's the plan."

"Have you picked a college yet?"

"I have some in mind," he replied. Truthfully, he'd slacked off in that area. The idea of attending a higher intuition and interacting with humans was somewhat unnerving.

"Oh? Then give me a name."

 _Shit, she knows I'm lying_. He folded his arms. "Fine, I haven't really thought about it." He really didn't know how to pick one. He was too proud to ask for help when the Internet should have sufficed.

Nanaba thought she had a good idea about what was going on. Picking a college to attend was intimidating enough for a normal person. For a Ghoul who'd grown up on the streets having little idea of where his life might go would certainly find the task of planning his future daunting.

"If you're going to be like that, I'm picking three colleges and you _have to_ go to one of them," Nanaba's tone meant it was final. She made it sound like a punishment for slacking off and he'd have to do it. She'd limit his options so it would be easier on him but he'd still make his choice.

"Fine," Levi scowled, not knowing she knew it was an act.

"Good, now, there's something I want you to do..."

* * *

"…be good and no more chasing after squirrels, okay?" Petra folded her arms. Ginger barked in reply. "As long as you understand," she nodded. Her phone buzzed and she beamed. "C'mon girl, let's go for a walk. But we have to come back early."

She made a mental note to stop by the boutique on her way back. She needed to find a dress for her graduation. She spaced-out, smiling brightly, imaging going off to a university. _Where should I go?_ She'd gotten into the three wanted really bad. She couldn't make up her mind which one to pick.

The red Golden Retriever barked and moved excitedly, tugging her leash and snapping her owner out of her daydreams. "Just a second, Ginger," she removed the collar and pulled out the Frisbee. "Fetch!" They were played for a good while until something caught Petra's eye. _He's plucking a flower!_ She glanced around to see if anyone else noticed.

She couldn't believe he did it so carelessly, right in front of everyone. _He's not even trying to be subtle_. _I could never do that_. Her dog came up to her, licking her hand and demanding her attention.

Before heading home, she made a quick stop at the boutique. She hummed happily, searching through the dresses. Pulling out her phone, she checked her message box again, needing to see it. Her uncle had promised to return for her graduation and he was coming back earlier than he said he would.

 _I need to make a list of all the movies we can go watch_. She'd heard a beautiful garden had opened recently. She'd been meaning to visit it for a while now. _Uncle Erwin has such a stressful and hard job, he'll definitely find the Ivory Grove Gardens relaxing!_ She knew he enjoyed peaceful walks, surrounded by nature. It was the perfect place for her to ambush him about his trip to Italy. She'd always wanted to go to Rome.

 _I wonder what kind of gifts he'll bring._ She walked home with a skip in her step and a blissful smile on her face.

* * *

Levi watched the customers disdainfully, talking cheerily, completely ignorant of the fact they were sitting in a den full of predators. His grey eyes shifted towards the man sitting in the corner, swirling the coffee in his cup, occasionally glancing at the woman across the room. _This one's definitely trouble_. Erd had spotted him eyeing a woman before. She'd been reported missing a few days later. The week before, another woman with similar features had disappeared.

 _Young, quiet, slim, brunette_. She matched the type. Levi followed the man out silently as he tailed his next victim. _Two's coincidence but three's a serial_. The sky was darkening with the setting sun. The woman was rushing home, trying to make it back before her favorite TV show was on, blissfully unware of her two stalkers.

The crowd had thinned and Levi worried for a moment about being discovered. Old instincts tugged at him to melt into the darkness of the nearest ally way. But he couldn't afford to lose the guy. As soon as the man neared the mouth of an ally, Levi swiftly closed in and grabbed him by the back of the neck and dragged him in deep.

The man's eyes fell to Levi's hands immediately. He stood up and dusted himself. "Who are you?"

"Doesn't matter," Levi replied monotonously. "I've been sent to warn you."

"Warn me?" His eyes narrowed before widening. "I heard there was some organization working behind the scenes in this district. I have to admit, it's good a set-up, makes it easy for me, no Doves and all."

"You are not allowed to kill anyone."

"What?" He whined. "Why not?"

"Our turf, our rules. If you don't like them, you can go fuck off."

"And what if I don't?"

"I've been instructed to kill you if necessary."

"Alright," he threw up his hands. "I'll play. Really," he said, noticing the suspicious look on Levi's face. "No more chasing pretty little brunettes. Believe me; I want to avoid the Doves as much as the next Ghoul."

Levi watched him walk away, muscles ready to jump into action if necessary. But the man left quietly. _Something feels off_.

"He agreed a little too quickly," Nanaba agreed, calmly watering her plants. "We'll keep an eye on him for now. We don't want to alert him, I'd rather avoid the mess if possible."

"I'll do it," Levi said. He'd been itching for some action. Unfortunately, the subtle and non-violent method they deployed was a far cry from his former district. He couldn't randomly challenge someone and bring upon unwanted attention.

 _The sneaking around should be good practice_. In any case, he was convinced the man was going to try something sooner or later, when he thought no one was looking. Levi would get to see how far he'd come soon enough. The spars were too safe and he was too familiar with his opponents and their personalities to properly test himself.

* * *

 _So, I've got more ideas for Riverta stories._

 **Cops n' Robbers** : When a man is suspected to be killed by a notorious gang leader, the cops must find an infamous thief that may have been a witness to the murder while he was stealing a priceless dagger.

 **On the Precipice of Defeat** : A famous author with an almost supernatural ability to attract trouble finds the perfect bodyguard in a former soldier.

 **Yours Truly** : Levi accidentally drinks a love potion and literally goes crazy in love. [One-Shot]

 _ **Please Review~**_


	3. Collage

**Chapter 3: Collage**

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin

 **Previously** : Levi is working on getting his GED. He continues to train and find Erwin. Petra thinks about having a boyfriend and is excited her uncle is coming to visit. Levi warns a rogue ghoul, itching to fight and test himself.

 _I'm sticking with Anteiku as the café name because I can't come up with anything good._

* * *

The sun was high in the afternoon, shining brightly, the wind was blowing gently, and the noise from the city was a constant around him. Levi yawned, lazily watching people wander about. He was bored. There was nothing to do: work, homework, personal errands, and even photography didn't appeal to him at the moment. So he'd resorted to people watching.

He was content to just sit at the bench and enjoy the peace. Some of the people he recognized: the old woman who brought her grandchildren to play in the open fields, the couple that was fond of talking strolls, holding hands, and making gooey eyes at each other—this was where Levi rolled his eyes—large groups of children and teens, and many dogs and their owners.

The last type of people interested him. Their behavior amused him sometimes, leaving him to wonder about who the owner was really and who was the pet. There was the fat, arrogant woman with an equally pompous looking French poodle. A young man that really knew his way with animals, he was obviously a breeder. The ginger-haired one with the energetic ginger dog. A droopy-eared Bloodhound that took his lazy, old, chain smoker of master out for a walk.

The soft buzzing in his jacket pocket pulled him out of his observations. Standing up and shoving the small device back, he sulked away. So much for a nice day off. Figures, there would be nothing to do when he was bored and something would come up when he was starting to enjoy himself.

Tying the crisp white apron in a perfect knot, Levi pulled out a notebook and a pen, plastering on his best friendly face—a look of complete boredom—before making his rounds. Mikasa arrived eventually, having taken care of whatever had held her up, and Levi went upstairs. Grabbing the black camera bag and slinging it over his shoulder, he went back to the park.

It was closer to evening now, the children were all but gone and the place was dominated by dog walkers. Levi went around snapping photos for his assignment. He was assigned the color yellow and was to take photos of only objects with that color. Wandering into gardens, he took several photos of different yellow flowers.

He would eliminate most of the photos he'd taken, keeping only the best ones for his mosaic. Just as the instructions read, by the time he was done, the color yellow jumped out at him everywhere he looked. Later that night, staring at his laptop with a cup of hot coffee in hand, he began editing.

Levi yawned and stretched, glancing at the red digits: 12:49. As usual, he'd lost track of time, too absorbed in what he was doing _. I'm almost done_. He kept going, pausing only when he came across a picture he'd captured of a yellow butterfly. In the background, he'd captured a familiar young redhead and her dog. _If the assignment was on orange instead of yellow, I'd put this in the middle_.

He could practically imagine it, placing the ginger woman and dog, painted by the orange sun, right in the heart of his collage. Shaking his head before he got off track, Levi cropped out the butterfly—he knew just where to put it—and finished up. Sliding under the sheets, his mind once again turned to the woman and her dog.

While humans were annoying—that particular dog was annoying too from startling him a few months back when chasing that damned squirrel—when it came to art, there was no discrimination.

* * *

Petra's stomach growled. Subtly making sure no one overheard, she sighed in relief. The elderly lady at the countertop smiled sweetly and rang her up. Ginger barked happily when her owner emerged from the book store. A little kid who'd been petting her quickly retracted her hand and shyly hid behind her parents, who were obviously tourists, studying their map, talking excitedly about where to go next.

Growling loudly, her stomach reminded her of her priorities. Petra passed by several restaurants, unable to decide what she wanted. "What do you think?" Ginger barked and Petra followed her gaze. _I know him_. She recognized him from the park. Moving to the crosswalk, they went across the road.

Levi's attempts to keep the sour look off his face were failing pathetically. He was to pass out flyers promising a cup of free coffee for a limited time to promote the shop and add to their customer base. Unfortunately for him, his agitation at being turned into a little errand boy scared people away, forcing him to spend more time doing it than necessary.

Fortunately for him, Petra came from behind, unable to see the face he was making thus intimidating her. "Excuse me?" She tapped his shoulder. "I'm looking for a nice place to have lunch, is yours any good?"

Levi looked down at her, recognition flashing in his eyes. "Yeah," he handed her a paper. "We're a coffee shop but we also serve sandwiches and stuff. The prices aren't jacked up like these other morons."

 _He's so blunt._ She did agree about the prices though. "Anyone with a flyer can get any one coffee drink free for this weekend. You can bring your dog too," Levi frowned and edged away from the red Golden Retriever sniffing him and getting in his legs.

"Sounds good, thanks," Petra smiled, tugging Ginger back. "C'mon girl," she walked away.

Levi watched the dog suspiciously. _Does she know?_ Immediately he felt stupid. Dogs had a keen sense of smell. However, without their Kagune active, even the sharpest nose wouldn't be able to sniff out the difference between human and ghoul. _I've been standing out in the sun too long, it's frying my brain_.

By the time he was finally done handing out all the papers, he was too relieved at having the done job to be frustrated at how long it took. He was surprised to see the girl and her dog were still at the café. She was reading a book while the red Golden Retriever took a nap at her feet. Levi went to the back and up the stairs. "It's all done," he told Nanaba sourly.

"Good," she smiled, obviously taking delight in his displeasure. "Have you picked out any classes yet?"

"Yeah, they start next Monday and I have everything."

She nodded, tapping her pen on the notepad, "What about an apartment? You should have saved enough money by now to get a good head start. I have been paying for almost all your expense up until now."

"That eager to kick me out?" Levi covered his nerves with sarcasm. "And yes, I have looked into a few places."

"Let me know when you're ready."

That meant he had about a week, when his classes began. According to Erd, that's about when the café ghouls got their own place—if they already didn't have one. It would be the same for Mikasa. She'd live in her room next doors because she was still a minor. Now that he had built up his savings, had a steady job, and was taking classes, he was out on his own.

Levi's mood worsened, knowing he didn't want to leave. It was ridiculous. He was a 20 years old ghoul that had grown up on the streets, never having shelter for too long. Having his own place should have thrilled him. It's not like he was being kicked out. And he wouldn't have to deal with taking someone's shift because he was close by or share a bathroom with that hog Mikasa.

Thinking about that lifted his spirits somewhat. Grudgingly though, he admitted to himself, he'd started relying on the others. There was no need to sleep with one eye open, metaphorically speaking. He was in a peaceful district, overlooked by Doves and ghouls alike, surrounded by comrades—a term he had been iffy about at first but had grown used to. Comrades, not friends, but comrades.

His friends were dead.

And their killer was still out there.

The fiery rage he used to feel had calmed into a steady, patient hatred.

The biggest advantage humans had over ghouls was technology. _And their staggering numbers from fucking like rabbits in heat_. So Levi had chosen to major in Computer Science. It wasn't guaranteed to help him find Erwin, but he could find out how to figure out the weakness of the RC scanners.

Levi could vividly imagine how he wanted to inflict pain on the CCG's Reaper. First torturing him slowly before killing him. It was always so calming and satisfying to plan out all the ways he was going to hurt the bastard. Tempering his murderous urges, he focused his thoughts. First and foremost, he had to focus on his classes.

He just had to be patient and bide his time and everything would be okay.

* * *

A delicious smell wafted through from the other side of the door and she grinned widely. She threw the doors open and saw her uncle's large form cutting vegetables in the kitchen to her left. He was wearing her cheery yellow apron, a sight that would have shocked his comrades stupid. "I didn't know you were coming to visit!" She threw her arms around the wide chest.

"I wanted to surprise you," Erwin smiled warmly. She looked up at him happily. Her small height and innocent face always made him feel nostalgic about her childhood days. The happiness and satisfaction he got from removing the worst of the murderous ghoul scum didn't bring him nearly as much joy as it did when his niece smiled so brightly at him. "I brought you a gift."

Petra darted to the present on the living room table. Ginger was sniffing it curiously, trying to find out what it was. "Let's open it, girl." Tossing the wrapping aside, she carefully opened the box. "Oh wow," she gently took out the white and gold merry-go-round music box with a little pale pink and blue colors dashed here and there. "It's beautiful. Thank you, Uncle Erwin! I _love_ it."

Erwin smiled, pleased, watching her put it on display above the fireplace."How're classes going so far?"

"Pretty good," Petra beamed. "High school was okay but I love college. I'm taking three classes right now…" She began chattering happily. They moved the conversation to the dinner table when the food was ready. "…how about you? How's your work been going?"

"Old same thing, catching and brining down ghouls, not interesting," he waved it off.

Petra was sorely tempted to roll her eyes at his refusal to talk about his work. Discretion she understood. But she got the feeling he always saw her as a child needing to be protected and tried to keep the graphic parts of his job secret. He had always been good to her and she just wanted to make him happy. His position, while prestigious, gave him a heavy burden to carry.

While she was physically and mentally capable of joining the CCG, she wasn't prepared emotionally. Even if they were ghouls, Petra didn't think she could bring herself to harm a child. That kind of thinking could potentially get her or her comrades in danger so she stayed away.

Seeing how happy that decision made her uncle and how relieved he had been because she was naturally drawn to the profession through her relation with him, Petra was assured she made the right choice. In the end, it was best for everyone involved. Their conversation was interrupted when his phone rang.

"Sorry, Petra, I'm needed back at Headquarters."

"I can't believe you have to leave already," her face fell. "We haven't even finished dinner."

"I didn't have free time but a meeting was cancelled unexpectedly so I took the chance to drop by. I'm not too terribly upset because I got to see you for a bit." He kissed her forehead. "Take care and remember to lock—"

"—the doors and windows before going to bed," Petra finished with a smile. "I know. And Oluo's going to come and check. He always does." Erwin pulled on his grey overcoat and she hugged. "Don't do anything crazy and hurt yourself."

"I won't," he promised.

"Bye," she waved. Closing the door, she went back to dinner. Feeling lonely, she grabbed a leash. "Let's go for a walk, Ginger." Petra checked the time on her phone. It was fall, leaves were turning orange and gold and the days were getting smaller. She knew she didn't have long to stay out before it got dark and someone came to find her and escort her back.

Petra ignored the stifling feeling. She knew the reasons behind it, but lately it was getting harder to understand. She was an adult. Sometimes she wondered why her uncle didn't just train her and give her a Quinque. She could carry it in a messenger bag or something, like how he used to bring his with him in a guitar case, and only use it in an emergency.

In the fall and winter, she was practically under house arrest, unable to go anywhere without an escort after it got dark.

Unclipping the leash, she threw the ball, "Fetch!" The dog ran off excitedly. A few minutes later, her cloudy mood was clear and bright once again. She didn't know anyone was behind her until the tap on her shoulder.

"Wow!" Levi snapped his head away to avoid the punch, weighting shifting, making him step back with wide eyes.

Petra straightened immediately. "I'm so sorry! You snuck up on me and surprised me and I just reacted! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I dodged," he eyed her warily.

"I've been learning self-defense since I was a kid and there are so many creeps running around nowadays not that _you're_ a creep because I know you well not really but I kind of do so I didn't—"

"Okay, okay, I get it, just stop," Levi shifted uncomfortably, "people are looking at us."

Some people passing by had slowed or stopped to see what the noise was about. "Sorry," Petra blushed, hands up, "misunderstand. I was overreacting." She laughed, rubbing the back of her neck and they shrugged before moving on.

"I'll just…go then."

"Wait," Petra touched his arm. "Did you want to talk to me?"

"I was going to ask if I could take your photo," he blurted, eyeing his surroundings nervously. He wanted to leave. No one was going to jump out of the bushes and point to him and yell 'ghoul!' but he felt too exposed. He preferred to be a nameless face in the crowd. He didn't want people to see him and remember his face.

"Okay, sure," the words fell out of her mouth.

"What?"

"I mean," she cleared her throat, "you can, but what's it for?" She couldn't say no after she'd already said yes, especially not after making that scene.

"You…do?" Levi stared into the open, determined face of the fidgety girl. "And it's for a photography assignment. I have to go up to people," he unconsciously made a face, "and ask their permission to take their photo. I have to get five 'no' answers and five 'yes.' It's a psychology thing."

"That sounds interesting," Petra replied, genuinely interested. A bark pulled her in the direction of her dog enjoying the attention of three children. They were asking their parents why they couldn't keep her. "Ah wait, excuse me for a minute please?" He nodded and she jogged over.

Levi thought it was the best time to make an escape. But then remembered why he approached in the first place. The family said their goodbye and watching her pet her dog and laugh, it was natural and the lighting was amazing, he took a few shots.

"This is Ginger," she introduced. "Oh, and I forget myself, I'm Petra. Do you want to take the picture now?"

"It's fine," he shook his head and showed her the camera. "I got some good ones. They're natural and I don't think I'll get any better ones."

"Can I get a copy?" Petra beamed. It really did look good.

"Sure," he nodded.

"Okay," she pulled out her phone. "Give me your number, and your name, I still don't know it."

Levi had a moment of paranoia and he almost refused. "It's Levi." He had to check his phone to remember his number and exchanged it with hers. As much as he didn't like it, he and the other ghouls with Anteiku were encouraged to socialize with humans to understand them better—Levi didn't want to—and hide in plain sight—but that was necessary for survival.

"Let me know when it's ready," Petra put a leash on Ginger, noting the setting sun. Only a second had passed after Levi disappeared into the crowd on the road when a car pulled up. _They must track me to be able to find me so quickly_. She tugged her dog towards the man and woman outside the car dressed in suits, sticking out like sore thumbs.

* * *

"I don't like him," Mikasa muttered, a scowl on her face.

For once, Levi found himself agreeing with her. "He's trouble," he nodded. Levi didn't like the fact Nanaba had taken her 'eyes' off him. But after months of good behavior, she had no reason to send people after him to babysit him.

Daz stood up and grabbed his coat, and Levi, without thinking, ditched the apron. "Are you going to follow him?" Mikasa asked curiously.

"Something doesn't feel right," Levi couldn't put a finger on it but he could feel it. Instincts formed from survival on the streets set him off. Pulling up the hood of his jacket, he melted into the crowd, taking care to keep the man in his sight and staying a good distance behind. But at that time of day, most people were getting off work. Teenagers were walking in large groups. _I'm losing him!_

"Hey!"

"Watch it!"

Levi ignored the indignant cries and pushed through. _Fuck!_ He snapped his head around, tying to find the ghoul. The sea of humans made it impossible to identify the man by his scent. In his peripheral vision, he registered the end of a dark grey coat flutter around the mouth of an ally. Levi followed quickly.

Grey morphed into red and black as the kakugan flashed in anticipation. He searched the connecting streets. _Where'd that cockroach scuttle off to?_ A pitched, feminine shriek came from his right and he took off running. A young woman was lying on the ground, foot bent at an awkward angle. _She fits the profile: young, brunette, slim_. Daz was nowhere in sight. The sharp scent of blood filled his nose.

"P-please…" She whimpered, shaking wildly.

The first thing Levi registered was a red outline of a bite mark. The second was a laminated ID that had been ripped from her neck and tossed next to her. _Sasha Blouse_. Levi's blood froze at the other details printed in the card.

"I'm going to die," Sasha stared at him with wide eyes, completely transfixed. He stepped forward and she saw her world melt into darkness.

Levi picked up the ID and stared at the unconscious woman. _She goes to the CCG academy. This was a trap!_ His head pounded. _What do I do now?_ If she claimed she was attacked by a ghoul, her word would carry weight. The CCG wasn't as likely to dismiss her as another teenager hungry for attention. _If I kill her, it'll bring too much unwanted attention here_.

Maybe he could kill her and make her body disappear. _The suicide point_. It was an ideal place to hide a body. _If I throw her off the cliff, if by some chance it was discovered, they'd dismiss it as a suicide_. Levi paced around restlessly, constantly checking his environment, afraid someone was going to sneak up on him.

But he had no idea how a future investigator's disappearance would be dealt with. Would they hunt for ghoul on principle alone? Levi froze mid-step. _If she claimed she was attacked by a ghoul…_ Another idea presented itself. He had two options now.

* * *

"Daz is sneaky," Nanaba frowned. "He didn't go after a real investigator, not taking any chances of getting hurt and caught. Hell, if the girl _had_ been killed, the CCG would have come at us harder for attacking a student."

"We should have kicked him out," Mikasa's fists clenched.

 _She's pissed,_ Levi thought. "It was smart," Erd said, "what you did. Taking her wallet and shoes and making it look like she was mugged by a homeless man."

"It was pretty dark out and I had my hood on, I don't think she saw my face, not clearly. She was staring right at my kakugan. But she's a student at the CCG Academy, she's supposed to be on the look-out for ghouls. I'm hoping she'll dismiss it on her mind automatically jumping to the worst case scenario."

It made no sense for a ghoul assailant to steal her stuff and let her live. A crazy homeless man, on the other hand, made much more sense and could even explain the bite. Fortunately, Daz had only broken the skin, intending for Levi to finish her. Sasha had a lot of food on her and he went out of his way to steal it along with her shoes and socks to give credibility to the homeless man theory.

As far as Levi knew them, the CCG were a bunch of ignorant, trigger-happy morons who attacked first and asked questions later. Making the girl disappear almost guaranteed trouble. Misleading the attack as a mugging was smarter. Sasha had been so scared she'd begged him to let her live. Doves didn't beg ghouls. Levi was counting on that fear to write the incident off as a human attack. _If she doesn't act according to plan…_

He'd know soon enough if a sketch of his face was released to the media.

"Daz has proven himself to be too much trouble." Nanaba stood. "So get ready, tomorrow night, we're going to exterminate this rat from our home."

* * *

 _ **Please Review~**_


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